Can You Survive the Effects of a Hurricane Like Francine

Hurricane Francine and others like her travel across the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to impose fear and devastation in their tracks. Your decisions before the storms make landfall ultimately determine whether the property will survive gusts above 100 mph and excessive flooding.

While people in these regions are urged to evacuate, many stay behind in an attempt to survive the wrath, but most are ill-prepared, lacking a distinct outline on how to do so. Many wait until the last minute to rush to the stores only to find shelves emptied from others who were prepared with their evacuation lists.

Instead of investing in metal shutters to maximize the property’s protection, some hurriedly try to find plywood to board up the windows and brace the doors, leading to poor application. How can you more adequately survive the effects of a natural disaster? Let’s examine a few tips.

Tips On Surviving the Devastation of a Hurricane

When alerted to a hurricane, many people are ill-prepared even though they live in an area prone to these events. Everyone on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts should make advance preparations that tropical storms or hurricanes will at some point make landfall.

A distinct survival plan will eliminate a panicked response instead allowing evacuation if emergency personnel call for this and adequate property protection to minimize damages. You’ll be better prepared to plan for elderly family members and pets who may require special accommodations.

How can you ensure adequate preparation to survive the destruction of a tropical storm or hurricane? Consider these tips.

The evacuation alert

Officials alert residents when a hurricane reaches an unsafe level and recommend that they evacuate. Unfortunately, some people are staunch about disregarding evacuation orders, with some emerging relatively safe despite enduring Category 5 destruction.

When hurricanes hit land, evacuating from that point is virtually impossible. Wind gusts and flying obstacles make it dangerous to travel; however, staying behind puts emergency personnel at risk as they are forced to respond when urgent situations arise.

Hurricane storm surges are responsible for roughly half of the lives lost. Between the gusts and low pressure, the water builds into a mound that accompanies the hurricane in its path. As it travels toward land, the water surges inland, some reaching catastrophic heights.

For instance, Katrina surged in some places to 28 feet and took over half of the lives lost with that storm.

The decisions

Each decision you make directly impacts your safety and that of your property. An advanced survival plan is essential if you live in a hurricane-prone region because you will eventually face one of these devastating storms.

You want to be sure your house can tolerate the effects of a hurricane if you decide to stay.

While no one wants to abandon their property, the higher the category, the greater the chance the house won’t withstand the destruction, and your risks increase for injury or death. An improperly braced window or door can lead to a complete roof loss.

For areas prone to flooding, staying could be unwise regardless of whether evacuation orders have been given. Once you opt to stay, leaving will be virtually impossible after the hurricane lands. That could mean a substantial period of time waiting for help.

It’s vital to pay close attention to the forecast and official statements to determine whether the conditions warrant staying home or if you should leave to protect your life and that of vulnerable family members.

Home prep

Regardless of whether you decide to stay with your home, the house should be adequately prepared. This involves storing all outdoor items, including patio furnishings and decor, toys, garbage bins, anything that could pose a flying threat.

Ideally, you’ll invest in storm or metal shutters; however, some people choose plywood as a first course of action when the budget is limited for protecting windows and doors.

This should be marine-quality and roughly an inch thick, anchored to the frame with lag screws for windows and doors. The plywood will be cut to size with pilot holes drilled for screws.

When storing the wood, label each piece and store it with the screws started in their holes for fast install. Lumber (2 x 4 pieces) should be installed crossways to reinforce the interior patio and entry doors.

For those who stay, designate a safe space and bring pets into that area with bedding, food, water, and other supplies from your safety kit. You can create a list by visiting FEMA’s website.

The power will likely go out during the course of the storm. Until that point, maintain your mobile charge and then shut the phone down when not used to save the power. Have fresh new batteries and a radio tuned to a local network to keep up to date on the conditions and emergency alerts.

Your mobile can access emergency alerts, but you must turn the appropriate settings on. It’s suggested that you download the mobile app for FEMA, which will give you access to urgent alerts for roughly five different regions.

You can also get information on surviving catastrophic events by checking their website. Click for details on these tips.

Final Thought

The wind gusts with hurricanes like Francine, which topped at roughly 100 mph, can carry flying debris at deadly speeds, leading to devastating injuries and fatalities.

When you opt to remain with your home in the event of a hurricane, it’s vital to designate a safe room and stay in that space until the officials deem it safe to leave.

You should have one contact person you can reach out to once the eye of the storm passes: someone not affected by the hurricane. You will make arrangements with this person in advance with contact information for close friends and family so you can be marked as safe.

Hurricanes are destructive and devastating for those experiencing them, but the worry is intense for loved ones who are uncertain of your status.